Ex-Detroit Mayor Sentenced to 5 Years in Prison

A judge in Michigan today sentenced former Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick to up to five years in prison for violating terms of probation on an obstruction of justice conviction.

7 Y/o Girl Killed During Detroit Police Raid / TV Crew May Have Captured Shooting of Mich. Girl / Lawsuit Filed in Police Shooting of 7-year-old

Detroit police are offering the family of 7-year-old Ayana Jones their sincere condolences for the child's death during a police raid. They are now investigating the circumstances surrounding the killing.



Events leading up to the shooting death of a 7-year-old girl at the hands of a Detroit officer may have been videotaped by a crime-reality series camera crew that was with police as they searched a family home for a homicide suspect.



The family of a slain 7-year-old Detroit girl has filed a lawsuit after a weekend raid that led to her death. The family's attorney says police had no legitimate reason to throw a flash grenade into the home of Aiyana Jones.

Urban Art Helps Detroit Cope With Hard Times

In a city laid low by hard times, surprising sights are popping up on the streets of Detroit. 

Detroit Gala Marks Motown's 50th

Motown Records founder Berry Gordy, Aretha Franklin, Stevie Wonder and Kid Rock were among those who turned out for a Detroit gala marking Motown's 50th anniversary.

Former Detroit Mayor's Aide Out of Jail Early

The former chief of staff to ex-Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick was released from jail early Monday after serving 69 days for obstruction of justice.

No Home Means No Vote

How do you vote when you don't own a home? From Detroit we hear first hand that it's not easy, if sometimes just impossible. What's being done to prevent that this election? We listen in on an ACLU session and find out how people who can get legal help to vote by calling 866-OURVOTE. Video by The UpTake's Oren Goldenberg.

New batch of ex-Detroit mayor's texts released

By ED WHITE

DETROIT A court on Thursday released more sexually explicit text messages between the city's former mayor and his ex-chief of staff, just days before Kwame Kilpatrick goes to jail for lying about their affair.

Christine Beatty, Kilpatrick's former top aide, tried to keep them sealed. But a Wayne County judge ordered them on the public record, and the Michigan Court of Appeals refused to stop him.

One series of messages from November 2003 goes on for more than an hour as Beatty describes what she would do with Kilpatrick if they were together.

"Don't STOP! PLEASE," Kilpatrick replies.

New batch of ex-Detroit mayor's texts released....

Kilpatrick Officially Leaves Office, Setting the Stage for New Mayor, New Start for Detroit

By: Jackie Jones

Embattled Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick left office officially at 11:59 p.m. Thursday, spending part of the day preparing a statement thanking and saying goodbye to his supporters.

“Being elected Mayor of Detroit, my hometown, was an honor and a privilege,” said the 38-year-old Kilpatrick, who spent seven years in office. “I want to thank everyone who supported me through the years. I am proud of the fact that we, as a community, were able to accomplish so much in such a short period of time.”

Kilpatrick encouraged citizens to support incoming Mayor Ken Cockrel, Jr., with whom he concluded transition meetings on Wednesday.

Kilpatrick announced his resignation two weeks ago as part of a plea deal on federal perjury charges stemming from a text-messaging scandal that consumed the city for months.

The Detroit Free Press said that before the texting scandal erupted, Kilpatrick had tamed the city’s budget, cutting nearly $300 million in annual costs, continued the downtown development trend that started under his predecessor, Dennis Archer, and was beginning to focus on decaying neighborhoods in the city.

“His ability to lead wasn’t the issue; he just made some bad choices,” Robin Barnes, a Detroit realtor and a former Kilpatrick campaign volunteer, told BlackAmericaWeb.com.

Kilpatrick Officially Leaves Office, Setting the Stage for New Mayor....

For Detroit, Kilpatrick’s Resignation Closes a Chapter, But the Story May Not End There

By: Jackie Jones, BlackAmericaWeb

Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick’s resignation may close the door on his sex-and-text messaging scandal, but where the city goes from here is anyone’s guess.

After pleading guilty to two felonies and no-contest to a criminal charge on Thursday morning, Kilpatrick addressed Detroiters publicly in the evening in televised remarks, appearing at times both contrite and somewhat embittered by the efforts that drove him from office.

“I want to emphasize tonight that I take full responsibility for my actions ... our challenge now is to put the anguish and the turmoil of recent months behind us,” Kilpatrick said to a packed City Council chamber.

Kilpatrick accepted a plea deal, announced in Wayne County Circuit Court on Thursday, in which he pleaded guilty to two counts of obstruction of justice. He must serve four months in jail and five years of probation. His resignation will take effect Sept. 18.

For Detroit, Kilpatrick’s Resignation Closes a Chapter, But the Story May Not End There....

Detroit Mayor Pleads Guilty, Agrees to Resign

By SUSAN SAULNY

DETROIT — Kwame M. Kilpatrick, the charismatic mayor of Detroit who has been embroiled in legal problems stemming from a sex scandal since the beginning of the year, pleaded guilty to obstruction of justice and agreed to resign Thursday morning as part of a deal with prosecutors.

He agreed to plead guilty to two felony counts of obstruction of justice and to plead no contest to a felony count of assault on a police officer; to pay restitution to the city of $1 million; to surrender his law license, forfeit his state pension and be barred from elective office for five years; and to serve 120 days in the Wayne County jail, followed by five years’ probation. The other charges were dismissed, and the judge scheduled a formal sentencing hearing for Oct. 28.

Mr. Kilpatrick “understands fully the agreement and agrees to be bound by it, judge,” a lawyer for Mr. Kilpatrick, Gerald Evelyn, told Wayne County Circuit Court Judge David A. Groner.

Judge Groner asked Mr. Kilpatrick, “Is this something you are ready to do today?” He added, “Do you have any questions?”

“I have no questions about what’s going on today,” Mr. Kilpatrick responded. Later, referring to his guilty plea, he said, “I lied under oath.”

Detroit Mayor Pleads Guilty, Agrees to Resign....

Court Denies Kwame Kilpatrick’s Appeal; Mayor to Face Hearing that Could Oust Him

By: Jackie Jones, BlackAmericaWeb

A hearing scheduled Wednesday to determine whether Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick should be removed from office can proceed, the Michigan Court of Appeals ruled Tuesday evening.

A three-judge appeals court panel ruled that Gov. Jennifer Granholm could proceed with a hearing against the mayor, affirming a lower court ruling earlier in the day.

Granholm’s hearing is scheduled for 9 a.m. at the state’s Cadillac Place Building in Detroit’s New Center area, barring a last minute appeal by Kilpatrick’s attorneys to the state Supreme Court.

Attorneys for Kilpatrick filed an emergency appeal immediately Tuesday after Wayne County Circuit Court Judge Robert Ziolkowski ruled their bid to have the hearing dismissed on constitutional grounds failed to demonstrate bias on Granholm’s part.

The appellate court agreed to a hearing and scheduled arguments for 5:30 p.m. EDT. Each side was given 15 minutes to present its argument. The appellate judges, Michael Talbot, Christopher Murray and Kurtis Wilde, issued a unanimous ruling at 7:40 p.m.

Court Denies Kwame Kilpatrick’s Appeal....

Michigan governor will not pardon Detroit mayor

By David Bailey

TRAVERSE CITY, Michigan (Reuters) - Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm said on Thursday she would not grant a pardon to Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick on perjury and other charges, reiterating that the situation needed to be resolved.

Granholm, a Democrat like Kilpatrick, said on Detroit radio station WJR she received the pardon request on Wednesday night. She said Kilpatrick would not receive immunity if he testifies at a hearing set for September 3 to determine his future.

The governor has the power to remove Kilpatrick after a hearing but has so far resisted calls for her to act.

Michigan governor will not pardon Detroit mayor....

Judge rules Detroit mayor didn't violate bond

DETROIT (AP) — A judge has ruled that Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick didn't violate bond conditions in an assault case by visiting his sister, who is a potential witness for the prosecution.

Judge Ronald Giles agreed Tuesday with the mayor's attorneys that a no-contact order didn't include Ayanna Kilpatrick. The mayor spent time with his sister during the weekend.

Last week, Giles had sent the mayor to jail last week in a separate perjury case.

Giles had put the mayor in jail Thursday after learning he traveled to Windsor, Ontario, in July without notifying authorities, a condition of his bond in the perjury case. Kilpatrick was released Friday.

Judge rules Detroit mayor didn't violate bond....

Indicted Detroit mayor jailed for violating bond

DETROIT (Reuters) - Detroit's mayor was ordered jailed on Thursday for violating travel restrictions imposed on him while he awaits trial on perjury and official misconduct charges.

Kwame Kilpatrick, once seen as a rising star in the Democratic Party, traveled to neighboring Windsor, Canada, in July without informing authorities. It was a condition of his $75,000 bond while he awaits trial on charges stemming from a sex scandal and his handling of a whistle-blower lawsuit.

Lawyers for Kilpatrick were appealing the ruling by Michigan District Court Judge Ronald Giles. They could not be reached immediately for comment.

Circuit Court Judge Thomas Jackson was expected to hear the appeal on Friday morning, meaning that Kilpatrick was likely to spend at least one night in the Wayne County jail.

Indicted Detroit mayor jailed for violating bond....

POLL: 47% WANT MICH. GOV. TO REMOVE KILPATRICK: Rep for Detroit mayor says only poll that matters is on Election Day.

A statewide poll in Michigan has found 47 percent of respondents say Gov. Jennifer Granholm should remove Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick from office for misconduct related to his text-messaging sex scandal.

The poll also found 84 percent of respondents said Kilpatrick should resign, according to the Associated Press.

Granholm is reviewing a request from Detroit City Council asking her to remove Kilpatrick, a fellow Democrat, from office. The mayor has said he won't resign as he fights criminal charges stemming from the scandal.

Kilpatrick spokesman James Canning said the polling doesn't matter. "The only poll that matters is the one Detroiters take when they step into the voting booth on Election Day," Canning said in a statement. "All other polls taken prior to Election Day only serve as fodder for so-called pundits."

STORY....

Commentary: Enough Already, Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick – It’s Time to Do the Right Thing and Resign

By: Tonyaa Weathersbee, BlackAmericaWeb.com

Kwame Kilpatrick, resign already.

Many Detroiters probably don’t care that you had an affair with your chief of staff, Christine Beatty -- the torrid details of which you revealed in text messages on city-owned pagers. They probably don’t condone it, but they understand that it should be a personal matter for you and your wife to work through.

Some of your defenders have tried to liken your situation to that of former President Bill Clinton in the hopes it will help you save your job. More than a decade ago, Clinton was impeached for lying under oath about his affair with former White House intern Monica Lewinsky.

COMMENTARY....

More Kilpatrick Text Messages Revealed

By: Corey Williams, Associated Press

DETROIT - (AP) A series of often explicit text messages from Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick's former chief of staff appear to show she had a long-term romantic relationship with the mayor and that he played a role in the firing of a police officer who sued the city.

The embarrassing messages between Kilpatrick and Christine Beatty from 2002 and 2003 appear in an 18-page document released Tuesday on the orders of Wayne County Circuit Court Judge Robert J. Colombo Jr. in response to a lawsuit by the Detroit Free Press and The Detroit News.

The document was obtained from the computer of Michael Stefani, an attorney who represented three police officers in whistle-blowers' lawsuits against the city that were settled last year for $8.4 million. The text messages were taken from Beatty's city-issued pagers.

The messages could prove damaging to Kilpatrick and Beatty, who are accused of lying under oath in one of the lawsuits by denying they had an intimate relationship. They are charged with perjury, misconduct and obstruction of justice. Both have denied wrongdoing.

The Free Press published some of the text messages in January. Wayne County prosecutors began the perjury investigation after those excerpts were released.

The document released Tuesday includes descriptions of sexual trysts, the frequent use of the N-word by the mayor and Beatty as a term of endearment, and discussions of marriage.

On Sept. 15, 2002, Beatty described a sex act she wanted to perform on the mayor but said she didn't know how to approach him about it. He replied: "Next time, just tell me to sit down, shut up and do your thing!"

Later that month, the pair appeared to arrange a sexual encounter in Beatty's office. On Sept. 19, 2002, Beatty wrote to Kilpatrick: "I have wanted to hold you so badly all day, but I was trying to stay focused on work. So, I promise, not to keep you longer than 15 minutes."

Kilpatrick replied: "Don't promise (N-word.)"

Beatty said: "I'm in my office. Do you want me to come to yours or you coming to mine?"

Kilpatrick said: "I'm coming down there ... LOL ditto. Freaky Chris!"

The text messages also appear to show Kilpatrick was involved in the decision to fire one of the former officers, former Deputy Chief Gary Brown, which Kilpatrick also denied under oath as part of the lawsuit.

In a text message Beatty sent to Kilpatrick on May 15, 2003, that was contained in the document released Tuesday, she said: "I'm sorry that we are going through this mess because of a decision that we made to fire Gary Brown."

Kilpatrick said last September that the city would appeal a jury's verdict in favor of two officers in one of the lawsuits. But after Stefani gave one of Kilpatrick's lawyers a motion for attorney's fees that contained excerpts of the text messages, the suit was settled and the motion was never filed in court.

The judge said Tuesday he agreed to release the document because he believes it directly led to the deal that was reached between the three former officers and the city.

Following a community forum Tuesday evening, Kilpatrick questioned the authenticity of the messages and said their release did not provide a "the smoking gun" some had expected.

"All the lawyers have testified that this had nothing to do with the settlement." Kilpatrick said.

"It seems that it's just a regurgitation of old news. And it's unfortunate that now we're printing something as true that came off somebody's computer," he said.

Mayer Morganroth, who represents Beatty, said he believes the text messages were obtained illegally and the excerpts should not have been released.

Most of the text messages included in the document focus on the relationship between Kilpatrick and Beatty, both 37, who have been friends since high school.

On April 8, 2003, Beatty wrote: "You told me that you would be my boyfriend everyday until I was your wife. Are you renigging?"

Kilpatrick replied: "Hell no! Don't start none. Won't be none ...! LOL".

Kilpatrick remains married to his wife, Carlita. Beatty left her husband at the end of April 2003, according to the document.

On April 13, 2003, Beatty wrote to Kilpatrick: "It is sometimes so amazing how much I love you. I can't even describe most of the time how I feel inside when I think about you. You are an amazing man. Everything about you makes me love you. Your passion about life, your sense of humor, your presence, and your love of family."

On May 1, 2003, Beatty referred to her separation from her husband: "I can't see living this way with us being a 'secret' forever. I love you so much and I want to tell somebody, someday! (Smile)."

Kilpatrick responded: "In this important and somewhat confusing time in your life, please know with all our hearts and soul that I love you. And you will never, never be alone."

City Council Silences an Embattled Kilpatrick

By: Corey Williams, Associated Press

DETROIT - (AP) The City Council rebuffed embattled Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick's attempts to propose a budget on Monday, the latest sign of increasingly frosty relations between the mayor and city leaders.

Kilpatrick, who is fighting perjury and other criminal charges, walked in to the Council chambers and greeted each member with handshakes or hugs before he prepared to speak.

Council President Ken Cockrel then informed him that he and the other members had agreed not to hear from the mayor. He swiftly called for an end to the meeting, leaving Kilpatrick shocked and seemingly embarrassed.

"This could have been done in my office," Kilpatrick told the Council before heading out into the hallway, where he called the council's actions "childish."

The relationship between Kilpatrick and the council has deteriorated for months. The panel voted 7-1 in March to ask Kilpatrick to resign.

Kilpatrick and former chief of staff Christine Beatty are awaiting a June 9 preliminary examination on perjury, misconduct and obstruction of justice charges.

Not guilty pleas have been entered for each, and Kilpatrick has said he will be exonerated.

The charges stem from a lawsuit filed by two former police officers who won a jury verdict last summer. They said they were fired for investigating claims that the mayor used his security unit to cover up extramarital affairs.

Kilpatrick and Beatty denied having a romantic relationship in 2002 and 2003, but excerpts of text messages published by the Detroit Free Press contradict their testimony. Prosecutors allege that the multimillion-dollar settlement was reached after the officers' attorney showed the mayor's lawyers references to the text messages.

The newspaper published excerpts of the messages in January, prompting an investigation that led to the charges.

Kilpatrick ridiculed the Council last week for holding hearings on the $8.4 million settlement. Council members have said they were duped into approving it because they were not told of a confidentiality agreement referring to the text messages.

REV. WRIGHT KEYNOTES AT NAACP DINNER IN DETROIT: Controversial preacher speaks on April 27.

On April 27 at Cobo Center in Detroit the NAACP branch holds its 53rd annual Fight for Freedom Fund Dinner featuring keynote speaker Rev. Jeremiah A. Wright, retired pastor of Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago.

Trinity United Church of Christ is the church home of presidential candidate Barack Obama.


Rev. Wright thrust himself in the limelight with a controversial service where his remark claiming that African-Americans should sing, “God damn America and not God Bless America.” Obama in turn denounced the remarks, but not Wright. The Illinois senator has said that Rev. Wright is a mentor to him.


The fundraiser has been billed the largest sit-down dinner in America. It is the primary fundraising event for the Detroit branch, which is one of the NAACP’s most prominent, historical and largest.


The dinner will honor Detroiters Charlie Gilliam (community activist) and Eleanor Josaitis (co-founder of FOCUS) with Freedom and Justice Awards and Dennis Archer Sr. with the group’s Life Time Achievement Award.


Soledad O’Brien of CNN will make a special presentation of the documentary, “Black in America.”

Detroit mayor charged with perjury

From staff reports

DETROIT — Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick was charged Monday with perjury, obstruction of justice and other counts for allegedly lying under oath about an extramarital affair with a top aide.

Wayne County (Mich.) Prosecuting Attorney Kym Worthy announced that Kilpatrick was named in a 12-count document in connection with an investigation that began when sexually explicit text messages surfaced that appear to contradict his sworn denials of the affair.

Former chief of staff Christine Beatty, 37, who also denied under oath that she and Kilpatrick shared a romantic relationship in 2002 and 2003, was charged with perjury and obstruction of justice.

Worthy says some documents sought as part of her probe have been "lost or destroyed."

"Our investigation has led to other potential defendants, so we will continue our investigation into their activities," she says. "Let me be very, very clear: this was not an investigation focused on lying about sex."

Aides to Kilpatrick have said that the mayor plans to remain in office, regardless of Monday's decision.

The announcement follows an eight-week investigation that was prompted by a Jan. 23-24 Detroit Free Press story that revealed the existence of text messages showing that the mayor and Beatty lied at last year's police whistle-blower trial when they denied having an extramarital affair. The Free Press is owned by Gannett, the parent company of USA TODAY.

The messages also showed that they provided misleading testimony about firing former Deputy Police Chief Gary Brown in 2003 after he and former mayoral bodyguard Harold Nelthrope began asking questions about a rumored wild party at the mayoral mansion and alleged misconduct involving the mayor's security team — questions that threatened to expose the sexual affair.

Despite the false testimony, a Wayne County Circuit Court jury last September awarded Brown and Nelthrope $6.5 million in damages. Kilpatrick vowed to appeal, but on Oct. 17, abruptly decided to settle the case and a second police whistle-blower suit involving former mayoral bodyguard Walt Harris for $8.4 million — $9 million with legal costs.

Kilpatrick settled after the plaintiffs' lawyer, Mike Stefani, informed the mayor's lawyer that he had the incriminating text messages and would reveal them in court papers he planned to file to justify his request for legal fees in the whistle-blower case.

Although Kilpatrick apologized for his conduct in a televised appearance with his wife, Carlita, in late January, he has blamed the media for his troubles and rejected calls from the City Council, Attorney General Mike Cox and city union locals to resign.

Settlement documents the Free Press obtained last month through a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit against the city show that — contrary to Kilpatrick's claim that he decided to settle based on advice from friends, advisers and ordinary citizens — he made peace with the cops after discovering that Stefani had the text messages.

Although Kilpatrick's lawyers settled the suit with one agreement on Oct. 17, they decided to split it into public and private settlements after the Free Press requested a copy.

The public agreement showed how much the former cops would be paid. The secret agreement, signed by Kilpatrick and Beatty, swore Brown, Nelthrope and Stefani to secrecy about the text messages under threat of forfeiting their settlement proceeds and legal fees.

Wayne County Circuit Judge Robert Colombo Jr. released the secret agreement last month after the Kilpatrick administration repeatedly denied its existence. Colombo released the agreement and other secret settlement records after the administration appealed unsuccessfully to the Michigan Court of Appeals and state Supreme Court, which rejected Kilpatrick's claim that the documents weren't public documents.

The City Council, which was kept in the dark about Kilpatrick's reasons for settling the lawsuit and never saw the confidential side agreement, voted 7-1 last week to pass an advisory resolution calling for the mayor to resign. It also ordered an investigation of the episode and directed its auditor general to look into spending by the mayor's office and the city Law Department.

Kilpatrick went on television with his wife in late January and apologized for his conduct, he insists there was no cover-up and has blamed the news media for most of his problems. He accused the Free Press of illegally obtaining the text messages — which the newspaper denies — and accusing the media of conducting a public lynching. He said the text messages and the settlement agreement that concealed them should never have been made public.

He also said the text messages were private even though he signed a policy directive in June 2000 advising city employees that all electronic communications should be considered public.

So far, Kilpatrick has refused to step down, saying he is on a divinely inspired mission to help rebuild the city. But conviction of a felony would force him to resign.

Beatty resigned in late January.

The scandal is the latest to confront Kilpatrick, a gifted politician who became the youngest mayor in Detroit history when he was elected in 2001 after serving in the state Legislature.

But his six-year tenure as mayor has been rocky.

He has been beset by repeated controversies over extravagant spending with his city-issued credit card, lying publicly about ordering the police department to lease a Lincoln Navigator for his wife and battening down information hatches at City Hall, making it more difficult for reporters and the public to inquire about his activities.

Besides possible criminal charges, the text messaging scandal and how city-paid lawyers responded to it could result in professional misconduct charges from the Michigan Attorney Grievance Commission.

If Kilpatrick or Beatty is charged with crimes, defense lawyers are expected to attack the authenticity of the text messages, demanding that prosecutors prove Kilpatrick and Beatty sent them and that they had an affair.

Two previous Detroit mayors have been charged with felonies, both after leaving office.

Mayor Richard Reading, mayor in 1938-40, was sentenced to 4-1/2 to 5 years in prison after being charged with conspiring with 80 policemen to protect Detroit's numbers racket. Mayor Louis Miriani, mayor from 1957-62, was sentenced to one year in prison for income tax evasion after leaving office.

Contributing: Detroit Free Press; Mike Carney in McLean, Va.; Associated Press